


If...

by applecake101



Category: Legend of the Phoenix
Genre: F/M, Hurt No Comfort, My First Fanfic, Tags May Change, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:00:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25452799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/applecake101/pseuds/applecake101
Summary: He could feel the wine getting to his head, and with it, the rising panic. Have I miscalculated?Wei Guang thinks he can predict how the Emperor would act. He's wrong.
Relationships: Ye Ningzhi/Pang Tong, Ye Ningzhi/Wei Guang
Kudos: 1





	If...

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Who would have thought my first fanfic ever would be something like this? Not me, certainly! This scene touched me so much I felt compelled to write something, and when I found there were no works for this series on AO3 (as far as I can tell) I felt compelled to post it. If this receives a positive response, I have more chapters planned! Please enjoy *laughs evilly*
> 
> I know that in canon Wei Guang switches out the poison just in case, let's pretend he doesn't this time because he's too careless.  
> Speech is paraphrased from the subtitles.

The Emperor is a practical man. For the stability of his empire, he must do many things that leave a stain on his soul. Wei Guang is right – if he kills himself with the poisoned wine now, the Emperor can be rid of him without dirtying his own reputation. 

He never trusted Wei Guang, and rightly so, it would seem. He can’t help but blame Wei Yan slightly for turning his sister into the treacherous snake she is today, always wearing him down with her schemes. The fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. Granted, Wei Guang defeated Wuci, but since Ningzhi became his, he’s been looking for a way to get her back. He must have been. 

If their situations were reversed, Pang Tong would collude with the enemy for the love of his life. Nothing else matters beyond having her. 

Although Ningzhi still refuses his advances, and he can tell she would rather be with Wei Guang. If he was dead, would she choose him? He hopes so. It can’t hurt to try. Ban Ling’er is a good bedfellow, and relatively capable, but she can’t hold a candle to Ningzhi, for all she tries to copy her. 

But he is Emperor, and he must look at the bigger picture as well. The harem and political matters should remain separate. Wei Guang has been placed under suspicion too many times for it to be merely a coincidence. 

This time, there is evidence – an eyewitness to a meeting between him, the Princess Royal, and the Prince of Guangding; as well as the accusations of Dongfang Xuan. It can’t be brushed off as spying or trying to gain their trust to learn their plans, either. The location was too remote for that. 

Also, he has just killed an entire unit of elite soldiers. If he was loyal, would he not have accepted the Emperor’s will? Would he not have let himself be killed, since he recognised them? Fei Hu soldiers only take orders from the Emperor. 

And beyond all this, Wei Guang holds too much power. Perhaps more than the Emperor himself, although he doesn’t like to admit this. The army, the people, the politicians all love him for his success in the war and his down-to-earth attitude. If he were to rebel, there could be dire consequences. 

Pointing out that he didn’t rebel before is not a guarantee that he will not rebel in the future. 

But the tipping point is his arrogance. He is so confident that he could manipulate Pang Tong – the Emperor – that he is willing to bet his life on it. He thinks he has already won this battle. Well, Pang Tong will prove him wrong and show he is more clever than even this renowned strategist. He will show him that the fate of the Great Liang rests in the hands of its Emperor alone. 

Wei Guang picks up the next cup, the one with the poison in it. The Emperor watches, careful not to let his expression change. He ignores the shifting of the soldiers behind him and stares deep into Wei Guang’s eyes as he drinks.

As he gasps and falls, something like shock on his face. 

He is rid of this thorn in his side at last. He has outwitted Wei Guang. His throne and his country are safe. 

Although, as Ningzhi bursts into Chang Ning Palace, he feels a sliver of doubt. 

Wei Guang knows he is clever. He also knows that he can be defeated – think of that chess master – but he knows that this time, he is not wrong. The Emperor is easily swayed, and his sincere words, his display of absolute loyalty, will move him. 

If nothing else, he must know that Ningzhi will hate him if he lets him die. The Emperor is obsessive over the women he likes, this is evident in the fact that he made Ningzhi a consort in the first place – and she wasn’t the only commoner to enjoy his favour, either. 

He picks up the first cup and speaks. 

“My father was always loyal to the court, but ended up being torn apart by five horses. I was very angry, and I could have started a rebellion to avenge him. But I have not.” 

He drinks and hurls the cup to the side, where it smashes. 

He picks up the second cup, ignoring the pain of his wounds, and his grief at his soldiers’ deaths, and speaks again. 

“I was named Grand Marshal and led a hundred thousand soldiers to fight Wuci. A hundred thousand soldiers is 70% of Great Liang’s army. Out in the field, soldiers only listen to their commander. I could have turned around and attacked the capital. But I did not.” 

Drink, smash. 

He picks up the third cup. _Let him see my sincerity_. 

“The war went on for more than half a year. So many of my friends died, and I myself was badly injured. The enemy took our supplies. I, the commander, went days without a full meal. What about the soldiers? They had to fight on an empty stomach. I could have retreated with them. But I did not.” 

Drink, smash. 

The Emperor’s gaze is unwavering as he picks up the next cup. _Let him see that I am still useful._

He raises his voice. 

“The Princess Royal and Prince of Guangding wanted to rebel, and I was spying on them. I was almost exposed many times, and I feared for my life every day. At that time they had the most power in court, you had none. If I had betrayed you to work for the Princess Royal, your Great Liang would have fallen. But I did not.” 

Drink, smash. 

He can feel the wine getting to his head, and with it the rising panic. _Have I miscalculated?_

The next cup. Drink, smash. 

The next cup. Drink, smash. 

He sees Ningzhi burst in as he picks up the next cup and looks at the Emperor to gauge his expression. He puts the cup to his lips and thinks, _Ni_ _ngzhi_ _, forgive me_. 

The cup smashed to the ground, followed seconds later by his body, racked with blistering pain. 

Living on the road, and then in the harem, Ye Ningzhi has known her fair share of danger. Nothing has ever left her as terrified as she is now, bursting into Chang Ning Palace, her lungs heaving. 

Wei Guang falls, even as the Emperor turns to her, visibly removing the satisfaction from his expression. 

Wei Guang, whom she loves, who has saved her life directly and indirectly over and over, whose memory has kept her going when harem politics threatened to overwhelm her. 

Wei Guang, who never stopped waiting for her, even though she was a consort of the Emperor. 

_My Wei_ _Guang_ _._

“Wei Guang!” 

**Author's Note:**

> btw I'm sorry for the awful title! And if anyone spots any inaccuracies, let me know.


End file.
